Book XI of The Protector
by Anmras
Summary: Legolas is finally recovered from the gangs and their dominion is swiftly fading, but Legolas's chest wound is severe and there is nothing the healers can do to help him.
1. Chapter 31

IMPORTANT: If you guys want to see how I pictured Legolas in this story (Manga Style) you can follow this link:   
  
Chapter 31  
  
The night faded into morning and the sun rose high before Redd snapped awake. He was breathing fast, and felt cold. He had kicked off his blankets, revealing his sleeping wear was only the pants he had won the day before. He looked down at his stomach at the still unhealed wounds from a week before. He shudders and pulled on a jacket without pulling on a shirt.  
  
He exited the tent just in time to see a man exit the one opposite him, Legolas's tent. He wiped his forehead and through the closing tent flap Redd saw another man covering Legolas in a black blanket. His head disappeared beneath the cloth.  
  
'Is he..?' Redd asked the man. Without a word the man continued his way down towards the great hole in the ground where Redd and his friends had attacked.  
  
Redd was stunned into silence. So many people had died trying to save him, and now he was dead. The Protector, Legolas, was dead.  
  
Redd fell to his knees, suddenly giving into the pain that had wretched him ever since Fallon had died. He began to weep silently just there, unable to hear anything then the ringing in his ears.  
  
From the northeast came the sound of hooves. Several men gathered near the edge of the tent town to get a good look at the newcomer. He was cloaked in an elven dress on a white steed. He leapt from the saddle with grace and ease, carrying a roll of parchment.  
  
'Where is he?' he called out. 'Where is Legolas?'  
  
Redd was brought from his cold world of anguish by the call. He looked over at the man. Standing, he said: 'He is no longer among us.'  
  
'What?' asked the traveler.  
  
'He has passed on.'  
  
'How can that be?' cried the traveler, pulling back his hood. Blonde locks fell on his shoulders, braded back behind pointed ears. His face was sharp and handsome, like the rest of his kind. His eyebrows were knitted together with concern. 'He can't be dead! He was here in secret!'  
  
'He protected us all from a threat that had hung over our heads for a long time. He died after finishing them off.' The gang members that lived in smaller colonies heard of the attack on their heart, and messengers say they have fled or returned home.  
  
'No! He can't be! I have a message! He must receive it!'  
  
Redd decided to humor the elf and took the parchment from him. He unrolled the paper and read over the lines. It was an elven print, but below was translated to many other languages, including that of Rohan.  
  
As Redd continued to read the letter, his eyes widened and his grip tightened on the parchment. He didn't even finish before dropping it and running back towards Legolas's tent.  
  
'Revive him!' he cried. 'Revive Legolas!'  
  
'What's going on?' cried the healer still in the tent. Redd could see Legolas's form beneath the black blanket.  
  
'Revive him! He must live!'  
  
'Why? He won't survive! We had to let him go!'  
  
'We have to save him!'  
  
Redd started pressing down on Legolas's chest and breathing in his mouth, praying that he would come back to life. 


	2. Chapter 32

@Kuramasgirl556 – Thanks so much! I'll try and read yours as soon as I can!  
  
@Deana – That elf and that letter are doing something for Legolas... read on to find out!  
  
Chapter 32  
  
The night was very cold. Not even the thickest blankets could keep it from crawling over Redd's skin. He breathed hot air into his hands and shivered in his sleep until morning. He joined a group of several people by a fire, too dazed and drowsy to remember anything that had really happened last night.  
  
He rubbed his head to try and jog his memory. He wasn't the only one, others were warming themselves and struggling to remember.  
  
'I remember a messenger, then Redd running into Legolas's tent...' shared one man. 'But I forget why.'  
  
'All I remember is a cart from town bringing wine and ale for all.' laughed one man. Redd's eyes widened.  
  
'I remember the messenger.' he said. 'I ran into Legolas's tent to rouse him. He...' he laughed. 'He was mad at me for waking him up.'  
  
Suddenly, the men all began to recollect the events from last night. Legolas's doctoring throughout the night along with the heavy celebrating from the word of gangs retreated everywhere in Rohan. Redd had even left Legolas for a little while to drink and be merry for the first time in ages. He remembered a maiden from town bringing Gabrielle, Hanna and Rye to him while he was drunk and he had fallen over with Rye in his arms. They were asleep in his tent now, resting.  
  
Redd visited Legolas's tent, which looked like a garden and smelled like a spice house. Preserved herbs had been brought from town with a convoy that practically built a fort here.  
  
Legolas was awake on his bed. His hair rested on a pillow, revealing his pointed ears openly for the first time since he came here.  
  
'How you feeling?' Redd asked.  
  
'I should be asking you the same question.' replied Legolas with a weak smile. 'You look horrible.'  
  
'I'll live.' nodded Redd, sitting in a chair and draping a blanket over his knees. He wondered if Legolas had been warm the night before. 'How about you? You gonna be all right?'  
  
'I guess so.' he said. 'The doctor apologized because he didn't realize that elves heal a lot faster then humans do. I gave him one of my fur jackets!' he laughed but winced in pain. Redd snickered.  
  
'You've had quite a trying time here.' he said. 'I don't think you realize how many people want to hear your whole story.'  
  
'Well, perhaps I'll tell them when it comes to an end.' he said. 'There is much I have left to do.' Legolas shifted slowly under his sheets. He knew he was only saying that to be in Rohan longer. He missed Elenest and his father very badly, but knew he could not yet go home. Not yet.  
  
'Well, that's a shame.' said Redd.  
  
'Why's that?' Redd pulled out a crumpled piece of parchment and began to read it aloud.  
  
'Dearest Legolas,  
  
'I miss you so dearly! I hear you've made quite a splash in Rohan and I hope you are well! I guess I will find out soon enough, since we caught the man who murdered that elf and framed you for it! I'm sending an escort that will be there in a few days to bring you home! I cannot wait to see your smile again! Elenest sends her love and is awaiting you in the courtyard everyday!  
  
With love, Thranduil  
  
When Redd looked up, he saw a silent tear falling down Legolas's cheek.  
  
'I... I can...' he whispered. To say it made it seem like it would go away. Like this wonderful dream would fade away into darkness.  
  
'You're going home, Legolas!' cried Redd, standing up. Legolas cried out with joy, exhaustion and sadness.  
  
He was going home... but he was leaving here. 


	3. Chapter 33

@Elven-Star-Of-Gold – Really? Haunting stuff is fun!  
  
@Deana – When I read your review, I couldn't help but cackle evilly...  
  
The song in this chapter is Superman by Five for Fighting. The lyrics may be wrong because It's really hard to hear what that guy's saying sometimes!  
  
Chapter 33  
  
~I can't stand to fly.~  
  
~I'm not that naive.~  
  
~I'm just out to find,~  
  
~The better part of me.~  
  
Legolas spent a lot of his recovery in his tent. He doesn't remember a whole lot since his mind was completely solidified with the thought of finally going home. What would the weather be like? What would Elenest look like? Obviously she'd start to have a belly; and his father would be smiling and there's a twinkle in his eye when he greets him. He couldn't wait.  
  
Five days after Legolas had heard the news he had a nightmare.  
  
He had returned home. Everything was faint and blurry, but he could make out the archway in the courtyard. He'd walk through it. It was like walking with a lead ball tied to your ankles. His feet dragged and his head grew heavy. Streaks of black shot across his vision like shadows. He gasped for breath and clutched his chest as he fell through an archway. He grabbed the stone but his hand slipped and he collapsed on the ground.  
  
When he looked at his hand it was covered in bright red blood. His eyes widened when a knife suddenly clattered to the stone just ahead of him.  
  
'It was me.' a voice softly whispered. 'I killed him.' Legolas slowly looked up. He could see the hem of a skirt and small slippers peeking out from underneath. A slim waist and flat stomach. He had passed her chest and spotted a necklace on her neck. The vision was blurred, but it definitely looked familiar.  
  
'Legolas! Awake Legolas!' Legolas groaned as someone shook him from his eerie vision. He focused on the doctor who was shaking him gently.  
  
'What?' he moaned.  
  
'Your escort has arrived.'  
  
As Legolas got dressed and washed himself, he realized he wasn't nearly as sore as he was before. He exited the tent to the fresh smell of a small amount of rain. The sky was still overcast and hid the rising sun from view. The escort was ahead of him, obviously fit for a prince. There was a white carriage of magnificent size drawn by large white horses. Four elves and a driver awaited him there, two mounted on other white steeds. Surrounding them were the people who lived in the camp, which was smaller since people had been going back home ever since the battle had ended. He noticed they were all staring at him.  
  
~I'm more than a bird,~  
  
~I'm more than a plane,~  
  
~More than some pretty face beside a train,~  
  
~And It's not easy to be me.~  
  
He walked out slowly to the silence and burdened faces. Was his leave really this sorrowful to them? Had he really done that much?  
  
Redd approached him slowly, carrying a small bundle. His face seemed tired and laden like the others.  
  
'You came as just another person from a far off place.' he said. Legolas could tell he had rehearsed a speech before. 'You proved yourself brave and kind when you first battled against a plague that has haunted us for a long while. You became a legendary icon, then a rare hero, then a friend to us all.' Redd sniffed and his eyes began to well up.  
  
~I wish that I could cry.~  
  
~Fall upon my knees.~  
  
'Now that you're leaving us, we feel a sorrow in our hearts.'  
  
~Find a way to lie,~  
  
~'Bout a home I'll never see.~  
  
'We all agreed that we should give you something to show our alliance, friendship, and brotherhood.' Redd held out the bundle. Legolas shook his head.  
  
'I wouldn't have been able to do anything if you all didn't save me countless times!' he said quietly, but loud enough for others to hear.  
  
~It may sound absurd,~  
  
~But don't be naive,~  
  
'You have now idea how many people you've saved.' replied Redd. Legolas smiled and took the bundle from him.  
  
~Even heroes have the right to bleed,~  
  
~I may be disturbed,~  
  
~But won't you concede,~  
  
Legolas slowly unwrapped the bundle and gazed in shock at the gift in front of him. There was an ugly scar across the middle from being reformed, but there was no mistaking it. It was his blade, and it began to glow faintly. A tear slid down Legolas's cheek and fell onto the metal. It tinged lightly and the light grew even more white.  
  
~And it's not easy to be me.~  
  
Legolas was speechless, and the only sound was the echoing of his fallen tear.  
  
~Up and up again away from me,~  
  
~Well it's all right.~  
  
~You can all sleep sound tonight,~  
  
~I'm not crazy, or anything.~  
  
Legolas dropped his blade, the steel sinking into the dead grass. To his surprise, it still began to glow brightly. He noticed the grass around it slowly changing color from yellow brown to a vivid green from root to tip like a flowing paint. It began to stand up straighter. Legolas smiled.  
  
~I can't stand to fly.~  
  
~I'm not that naive.~  
  
~Men weren't meant to ride,~  
  
~With clouds between their knees.~  
  
'You don't know how great this feels...' he whispered. 'It's like... just incredible.~ Legolas wasn't the only one feeling it. Everyone felt as though their chest would burst with happiness. Legolas felt as though he was tilting. Stepping over the blade he embraced Redd. Redd hugged him back and felt tears racing down his cheek. It was then they both realized something important.  
  
Someone can make as big a difference as they want... but only if they want to.  
  
~I'm more then a man,~  
  
~So sell that red sheet,~  
  
~Trade it for Kryptonite,~  
  
~On this one-way street.~  
  
~I'm more then a man,~  
  
~So sell that red sheet,~  
  
~Looking for special fates,~  
  
~Inside of me...~  
  
~Inside of me.~  
  
~Yeah inside of me...~  
  
~Inside of me.~  
  
~I'm more then a man,~  
  
~And for that red sheet,~  
  
~More than a man,~  
  
~Looking for a dream.~  
  
~I'm more then a man,~  
  
~And for that red sheet,~  
  
~And it's not easy...~  
  
From the silence, a person began to clap. Legolas opened his eyes and more began clapping. He sniffed as the crowd around him burst into applause.  
  
Home.  
  
~It's not easy to be me.~  
  
.  
  
.  
  
To explain that very LONG stretch of song up there, I wanted to make it like everything was done, over, zip-zap nothing else. Then they started clapping. For those of you in band *I really don't know if any of you are*, it's like that part when the music gets so quiet you can't hear it, then the real climax of the song starts! Which, by the way, will come up in the next book! Believe me, you'll be surprised what's going to go on! 


End file.
